Switching Tank Size

[mirandaj]

If I am switching to a larger tank (75 gal), how long before I can transfer my fish from the 15 gallon. I have Strawberry, A Clown Fish, a damsel, Clown watchman goby, and should I buy all new gravel or can I use the gravel from the 20 gallon along with new? Should I buy all new live rock or what? I dont have any interest in buying new fish just yet either. I want to convert that tank to my breeding tank for my fancy guppies so its not going to be a salt water tank anymore...
:help:

 

[unleashed]

well even though this is no longer a sw topic ill try to help anyways :thinking:
once you get all the sw stuff cleaned out make sure you rinse the tank realy good a little salt residew wont be bad but too much can damage you fw stock.ok well as you know fw also needs to cycle but the time is less extensive if you have ro unit best to fill the tank with ro water.so you wont have to treat it for chlorine and such.add you substrate and such with fw fish you can add fish normally in one to 2 weeks depending how you prep the water.im sure you know the rest good luck sorry to lose another sw tank

 

[debbie]

I understand this as you want to upgrade your saltwater tank that is currently a 15 gal into a 75 gal, is this right?
I will give you my advice one I hear back about his question above.
Deb

 

[fishmamma]

I would start with a new sand bed, add some new live rock and fill er up. Add your water from the 15 gallon to the new tank from your water changes over a couple of weeks. Depending on how much rock is in the tank and if any live sand is used I would say to switch the fish over one every two weeks or so from there on out. This method would take some time and also much monitoring from you to watch ammonia and nitrite/nitrate levels. The other way to do it would be to set up the new tank fully and use the dead shrimp method to cycle and then switch everybody over at once. Just my 2 cents, hopefully someone will give some better advice!

 

[aquapro_1]

Using the water from the old to the new is good, but the is a HUGE size difference

t the tank. Adding more rl & sand, your tank IS going to recycle. Possibly buying lr from locals that is COMPETELY cycled will give the fish a fighting chance of survival.
If not, set up & let it cycle with only the sturdiest fish. Then when it is livable, transfer the community.

 

[fishmamma]

Yes, there will be a small cycle which should be over within 2 weeks if using already cured live rock and some live sand during which time I recommended adding water from old tank to "seed" new tank water. Adding one fish at a time every couple of weeks should not cause a tank crash or cycle if there is sufficient bacteria from a good amount of live rock, filter media etc.....I based this advice on how I have set up 3 tanks. Never used the shrimp method, just a small cycle from live rock and stocked very slowly. If you are able to re-use some filter media from the small tank when getting the large one going that will give your bacteria population a kick start. I would also "feed" the tank during the first couple of weeks as though there were fish.
I guess we just don't have enough info to give good advice at this point not knowing what you will transer over and how much if any cured live rock you are planning on adding before the transfer. (I always start a new tank with a minimum of one pound per gallon of cured live rock but starting with less could maybe lead to problems as aquapro mentioned.) The clown, damsel and goby are all hardy fish and should handle the move just fine if things are done slowly and properly, best of luck to you and good luck with the breeding tank when it is done! :thinking: